


Project Shadowbird

by AlphaSp



Category: Original Work
Genre: AU, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-02 08:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11505189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaSp/pseuds/AlphaSp
Summary: Natoli, a pilot of a secret program to crack down on criminal activities outside of a strict, walled city, experiences an event that will turn the tides of the fight forever.





	Project Shadowbird

A clash of blades, a spark of fire, and the clang of metal echo throughout the stone cathedral. Locked in combat, the simulacrum and outlaw trade blows, the refined edge of the drone’s blade dents the opposition’s messy structure.  
“Outlaw James Yerwe. You are wanted for thirteen counts of murder across the city.” The simulacrum slashes down, disarming Yerwe. It bends over, bashing his knees, forcing him to them. “You have two options. Come with me, and face trial, or try to run, and die.”  
Yerwe had already made his decision, and scrambles to his feet to run. “Very well, I suppose.” The simulacrum sheaths its blade, and crouches down. Yerwe scrambles, nearly reaching the end of the cathedral before the drone sprints after him. It drops into a slide, drawing the blade, slashing across the side of his torso. Yerwe falls, cringing from the pain, dropping back to his knees. The simulacrum slashes up, and plunges the blade into the convict’s back.  
The drone wipes their blade and sheaths it. It stands up straight, observing the work it just performed. “Shadowbird Nasa’lune reporting. Outlaw James Yerwe has been terminated. Entering static mode.” it says, as it tucks itself away into a corner.  
The link-pod opens, revealing the laboratory-like work-space around it to the inhabitant. Two mechanical gauntlets retract from their hands, allowing them to step out. A scientist asks “How was it, Natoli? The drone still working up to snuff?”  
Natoli, a young woman with dark hair and a soft complexion, responds happily, “Everything seemed to be all right! It might be time for a tune up soon, but there’s no worry now.”  
An orange marker blinks on a holographic map projecting from the side wall of the room. “Well, good. You made good progress on the rounds today, and it seems you ended up in the western cathedral. You said the convict was killed?”  
“He refused to come peacefully, I was just following my training..” Natoli says, as she steps out of the pod.  
“Well, good job. There are still five of that gang remaining, hopefully we’ll track them down within the next few days. Hit the gym, it’s only 17:34.” the scientist reports, as they turn away to a screen. Natoli takes it as an order, and heads out of the simulation chamber.  
Natoli val Nasa’lune was an agent of Project Shadowbird. Its purpose is to hunt down outlaws trying to escape the confines of The White City’s walls. The hunters are the most technologically advanced simulacrum that could be produced. Faster, more resilient, and stronger than the average human, the drones carry an array of equipment to achieve the missions sent out by the control center for the project. Hidden outside the city, it acts as a training area along with providing all the necessary things to act as a suitable research and development facility.

* * *

 

Fifteen reps, fifty pounds. Natoli sweats as she curls the dumbbell towards her chest. She wipes her brow, as a towel is offered to her. She looks up, and recognizes the face of her partner in the project, Autumn. Natoli smiles, takes the towel, and stands to face her. “Hello Autumn!”  
“Impressive kill today, Natoli.” Autumn sits in a huff on the bench. “Better than last week, at least.”  
Natoli’s cheeks flush red in anger and embarrassment. “Hey, how would I know they set that trap!?”  
Autumn shrugs, “Rookie mistake, sister. It’s the badlands, I’m surprised you didn’t check for anything in that cathedral. Yerwe was held up for days in that thing.”  
“Well, I still got the kill, and I didn’t lose the Shadowbird. I mark that as a win.”  
“Whatever you say.” Autumn says lazily. “You’ve got to get better before you try taking out the rest of Harper’s gang. Yerwe was a freebie.”  
“I know, I know. You’ll be out there too to help, right?”  
“You know my assignment, northern front. Besides, my Shadowbird wouldn’t do well in that jungle, with its extra insulation.”  
Natoli sighs. “Why are we even partners if we can’t work together?”  
“You’re asking the wrong person. Perhaps its for a sense of competition.” Autumn stands, turning towards the door. “Oh, by the way? Arienta’s renegades are down to two- Vincent and Mia. I’m hot on the trail of them, so.. Pick up your pace, sweetheart.”  
Natoli huffs as Autumn leaves the gym. She checks her watch- 19:00 sharp. Standing, she walks out and towards her quarters. As she travels down the hallway, a scientist stops her. “Natoli, we need you in the pod room. We’ve detected movement in your sector, and you need to respond immediately.”

* * *

 

Strapping herself in, her pod assembles the control gauntlets around her hands as the hood closes. Her neural link flickers to life, along with her Shadowbird. She takes control, running out of the cathedral. The drone raises its arm, projecting a map into the air. On it, the location of the disturbance was highlighted. She makes haste towards it, entering a large clearing. The Shadowbird sprints to the center, where it sees what caused the disturbance.  
Natoli orders a short stop, immediately drawing blades. Not only was it one disturbance, it was five. All five remaining members of Harper’s gang stood there. Jet, Lilia, Finn, Roxanne, and Feluma had blades drawn, slowly fanning out to surround the drone. “Jet Harper. Lilia, Finn, and Roxanne Heartlin, Feluma Wolfek. You collectively are wanted for one hundered and thirty two counts of murder across the White City and the Badla-”  
“We know, honey.” Jet says mockingly. “Shadowbird Nasa’lune. You took Yerwe and four others from us, and we feel it’s time to repay that favor.”  
Natoli switches to a defensive stance, dropping the swords to a reverse grip. “You have two options. Come with me, and face trial, or d-”  
“Yeah.. that second option isn’t one. Sorry.” Feluma laughs. “There is a third, wanna guess what it is?”  
Natoli breaks from the script she was ordered to keep to. “I don’t, no.”  
Jet speaks next. “Tell me, Shadowbird. What is your real name. Nasa’lune sounds too..”  
“Fabricated?” Roxanne asks.  
“Official.” A few chuckles are heard from the group.  
“That is not at my liberty to disclose.” Natoli says, with a waver in her voice.  
Jet chuckles. “Might want to tell us before we storm that base of yours. It’ll tell us which pod not to open.” He motions, and the drone falls to its knees. Natoli panics as she begins to lose control of her systems. Lilia steps out from behind her field of view, her rapier crackling with an electric charge. “Shocking, huh?”  
“That’ll keep it down for a while. I can start data extraction whenever you’d like.” Lilia chirps happily, as she lowers the tip of the sword to the simulacrum’s neck.  
“Now is fine.”  
And with that, Lilia moves behind, and opens the protective casing on the drone’s cranium. Jet grips the head, forcing the drone to stare back at his scarred, burned, and overall disheveled face. “Listen to me, Nasa’lune. You’re on a list. Luckily enough, it’s our wish list. So, we’ll give you two options. Come with us, or die. Do you understand?”  
Natoli sputters, the speaker on the simulacrum crackling, “You.. don’t even know where I am!”  
Jet looks up, nods, then stares back into the simulacrum. “We do now. See you soon, _Natoli_.”  
The link-pod’s display crackles to black.

* * *

 

“Emergency situation. Locking down all Link-pods. Please remain calm.” an electronic voice echoes throughout her chamber for the hundredth time. It was doing her head in. “Emergency situation. Locking down all Link-pods. Please remaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-” And then, nothing. Her screen lit up again, the simulacrum apparently still operational. She stands, and looks around the room she was apparently in. It was utterly destroyed. She walks over to a display, trying to make out what was on the ruined screen. It said clearly: “Project Shadowbird Login”.  
This could only mean one thing. The simulacrum sprints out of the room, and down the hall. Taking turns sharply, it continues at a quick pace before slowly reducing its speed. Confused, Natoli brings up its status panel- Dangerously low power. She takes a breath, and continues down the ruined hall. The simulacrum turns into a room, and edges closer to a link-pod. It places a hand on the pod, and it opens.  
Natoli’s screen dissipates as her pod opens. Before her, the Shadowbird stood statically. She walks out, stumbling towards it over the broken shards of building. It crumbles as she reaches for it, the last of its power reserves depleted. Natoli retrieves the swords from its back, and the equipment from its belt, securing it to herself. Looking throughout the room, she sees the extent of the damage. A sword penetrated the pod to her left, the one of her partner. She didn’t dare look inside.  
Walking outside through the rubble, Natoli felt the cold night air blow across her uncovered arms and legs. She grips her swords tighter, alert to any movement in the forest.  
Suddenly, four figures drop down behind her, and one large ahead of her. “Natoli val Nasa’lune, controller of Shadowbird Nasa’lune.” It was the voice of Jet Harper. He stepped out of the shadows, along with the four others.  
“Not so tough when you don’t have a machine to hide behind, hmm?”  
Natoli readies herself. “You know I won’t be joining you. I’d rather die than become a convict.”  
Jet smiles, then chuckles. “Well, I’m glad you feel that way. It happens to align nicely with our plans for you.” He dashes forward, catching Natoli by surprise. He cuts across her torso, forcing her to her knees. She drops the swords, and finds herself pinned by his blade.  
Slowly pressing his weapon into her chest, blood spurts from the cavity it creates. Natoli tries to breathe, but nothing can pass through her lungs or heart. Jet speaks the last words Natoli hears as he continues giving her a slow, painful death;  
“Goodnight, _sweetheart_.”


End file.
